Black Heart
by Mr.SturgisPodmore
Summary: Rose and Zeig are reincarnated after their death, and arrive in the living world. But they soon find out it's been 100 years since they last lived. New perils arise, new Dragoons will be found, how can they beat The Creator herself? Please RandR!
1. Prologue: Death's Grip

Disclaimer

I do not own any characters from this story, although the basic plot outline is mine. Most main characters, ideas, backgrounds, etc, belong to Sony. I'm just the writer. : )  
So don't sue, please.

Author's Note 

Hey guys, it's me, Mr.SturgisPodmore, and this is a fanfiction. Obviously. It's about Rose and how she and Zeig are reincarnated after their death, but find out that it's one hundred years after the battle in The Moon That Never Sets. Now, sit down on the carpet children, it's story time! Enjoy.

-Mr.SturgisPodmore

Prologue: Death's Grip

Death had her in his grips. She could feel his clutch on her heart. She could feel it restricting her breathing, holding her in place. She couldn't move, she couldn't breath, couldn't feel, couldn't smell. All she sensed was another presence. A man. Beside her?

_Zeig. _Now she could feel his presence. Not physically, but in her mind. She _felt _him, there was no other words for it. She could sense that he was there. She could sense his own mind, sensing her, probing her.

_What is this place? _she wondered.

_I don't know. Death?_ came a voice inside her head. It was Zeig's voice. Rose opened her eyes and marveled at what she saw. She was floating in darkness. Absolute darkness. She couldn't see her own hands right in front of her face.

_Is this limbo? _Rose heard Zeig wonder.

_I..._

The room was suddenly illuminated by a dark purple light, circling and lighting up the abyss. The light was coming from Rose's breast. Her Dragoon Spirit.

_Rose?_

And then Rose felt it. A presence of unimaginable power. It was inside her mind. Searching through her memories, scanning her life, zooming through it as though it had no significance whatsoever. 11,000 years, insignificant.

_You are strong, mortal, _the voice said. _You defied Soa's will. And you as well, _he said to Zeig. _But the fate comes again, it is willed to by the creator. I give you both life, so that you may present it to others, if the need arises._

Rose felt a great pull, and she heard a sucking sound, as something pulled her inwards, there was a flash of red, and she was gripped in darkness. She couldn't see, couldn't breath. Rose could no longer feel Zeig's presence, nor the great being.

There was a final whooshing sound, and the last thing Rose saw was a desert landscape rushing towards her.


	2. Chapter 1: Alive, again

Rose tasted sand in her mouth. It gritted her teeth and made her tongue feel rocky and rough. She tried to push herself to her feet, but couldn't. She was too weak. She couldn't feel her arms or her legs. Again, she tried to get up, but the simple movement just wasn't coming. For how long she waited there, she didn't know. The Dark Dragoon Spirit suddenly shone brightly, and Rose felt strength and warmth flood into her. There was a particularily bright flash, and Rose lay on the ground in her Dragoon form.

Violet armor adorned her, and wings shot from her shoulder blades, her rapier had transformed into a more elegant one, and bright purple gem lay on her breast. She had a violet metal skirt on, the exact color and material as the rest of her armor. Feeling the strength now, Rose stood up, and pumped her wings experimentally. They seemed to be working fine. As well as the last time she'd pumped them.

Rose surveyed the landscape. It was desolate. Cliffs and over hangs were everywhere. In a corner, Rose distinctly saw a giant scorpion like creature withdraw into a nearby cave. She was in the Barrens. That put her close to Donau. If she could get there, she could easily get some food and water.

But Rose felt like she was forgetting something, a feeling she didn't often get. Where was Zeig? Rose looked around, but she couldn't find him. Curious, and a little afraid, Rose pumped her wings and ascended into the air to get a bird's eye view and look for Zeig. But there was no sign of red amongst the brown. She could make out a Centaur camp to the west, and she could see the outline of the trail to Donau.

Rose flew back down to the ground and poked her head inside a cave, looking for Zeig.

'Zeig?' she called. But there no answer, save for a slight clicking Rose thought had to be some creature of some sort. Not wanting a fight right now, Rose quickly withdrew from the cave and transformed back into a human, remaining as a Dragoon when unnecessary was foolhardy. It'd been one of the first things she'd learned all those years ago when she'd first gotten hers.

She looked around once more for Zeig, but saw nothing. Zeig was always with her. Always. Rose thought hard, trying to remember back to a time when he was not, but she couldn't find one. She sat down on a nearby rock and tried to remember. Then she found an image of her and Dart in some sandy terrain, different from the one she was in now, dueling. Zeig certainly wasn't there. She thought forward from that point and remembered the fight in The Moon That Never Sets. Zeig had been there, and together they had…

Killed Frahma. But…how did she get here? She remembered charging forwards with Zeig and the Dragon Buster, and she remembered Dart and the others flying away very fast, and then nothing. Just darkness. It was a blank. There was a giant gap between then, and now.

Feeling that she had delayed enough, Rose set of for Donau at a steady walk. Donau, she reasoned, was much closer to most of the major countries, and she could easily (or more easily then any other place) reach each country reasonably quickly. And, who knows, they'd first met Meru in Donau, maybe she'd be there now. Maybe they'd all be there, laughing and drinking.

Rose had no idea just exactly how much wishful thinking that was right then.

Zeig became aware that he was wet. Wet, but strangely warm. The very air seemed to be warm. Zeig tried to get up, but he couldn't. He tried again, but again, he couldn't get up. He felt exhausted. Zeig vaguely became aware that people were talking. He heard voices all around him, muttering, whispering, and screaming. There was defiantly a woman screaming. Zeig was face down in the shallows of some kind of beach, and a red light seemed to be coming from underneath him. The Red-Eyed Dragoon Spirit. Zeig felt the strength rush into him, he engulfed it, savoring the power it gave him. He let it build up inside him, and he released it and a particularily bright flash of red that made the people surrounding him back up.

Zeig jumped ten feet in the air, jumping over the many heads of the locals, and landed with a soft thud on the sand. His body was transformed. He had red wings sprouting from hi shoulder blades, and he was garbed in the blood red armor he'd seen himself in so many times before. At the sight of him, the locals ran away from the beach and up into a rickety old town made from bamboo and vines that looked like it had seen better days.

_Rouge. This is Rouge, _he thought in wonder. _How did I get here? I was…_

And then he remembered it all in a sudden flood of memories. He remembered the fire in Neet, how he'd used his Dragoon Spirit, and how Melbu had possessed him then. He remembered breaking the Signet Spheres, and the Moon That Never Sets falling to the earth. He remembered the fight with his own son, and he remembered the unendurable pain he had experienced when Melbu left his body for the first time in so many years.

And then he remembered a face. A beautiful face that he knew so well. Dark, almost black hair hung over it, long and straight. _Rose. _And then he remembered charging Melbu with her and the Dragon Buster, Melbu had screamed as the Dragon Buster penetrated, there was a massive explosion and then darkness. He couldn't remember anything else.

Zeig opened his eyes and surveyed the landscape. It was definitely Rouge. It was the exactly the same as it was the last time he'd come here. When he'd flown here to reach Aglis and destroy the first Signet Sphere. Nothing had changed. Cautiously, for the villagers were no fools, Zeig wandered into the village.

'Hello?' he called. The whole village was in the water, near the coast, and most of it was on stilts. Zeig walked up to one, flew up to a balcony on the fourth level, and transformed back into a human.

'Hello?' he called again. 'I only want to talk; I don't mean any harm to any of you.'

'You say that now, eh? But you're one of them! Has she rounded up more of you to her cause?' came a voice from behind a box of crates. A man stepped out from behind them, his face full of fear, but anger as well.

'What are you talking about?'

'Queen Diana. You're one of hers aren't you!' the man screamed. People were coming up from the levels, hearing the voices. Some were armed, and Zeig felt himself becoming surrounded. Not a very good tactical position.

'Whose Queen Diana?'

'As if you don't know, you filthy Dragoon!'

Zeig was utterly perplexed. In his time, the Dragoons had been a symbol of hope, of peace. But now they seemed to be hated. And who was this Queen Diana woman?

'I'm not from around here, who is Queen Diana?'

A young man stepped out from the crowd and took up the story.

'Queen Diana ascended to the throne over twelve years ago. Under her rule, the other countries of Tiberoa, Serdio, and Mille Sessau have all fallen under her rule. She governs the skies with her Wingly slaves, and she owns the sea with her armadas and fleets. Even the roads are not safe with her armies of brigands and thieves. Under her rule and tutelage, she has gained an apprentice Dragoon, like herself, and it has been rumored that she'd found another. Queen Diana is a mockery of the title, and has given many people trouble. Poverty, high taxes, murder, carnage, starvation. Endiness used to be a peaceful place, but she's turned it into a hell.'

'That's enough, Zephir!' yelled the man. 'As if he does not already know this.'

'I had no idea. If you rallied together, I'm sure you could overthrow-'

'You don't understand,' said the man named Zephir. 'When she took over, the armies of Serdio, Tiberoa, and Mille Sessau became hers. There's just not enough power to mount a resistance.'

'I said _quiet, _Zephir. Your place here is not to speak!' roared the man. 'You do not have the right.'

The crowd went silent, and many were muttering now. Some even backed away from the man, who seemed to be, in Zeig's opinion, overly violent and unbalanced.

'Now,' he said, restraint in his voice, 'you will leave here, slave of Diana, and never come back. Else you'll be dead.'

Here the men carrying weapons tightened their grip on them. Zeig did a quick head count of the men with weapons. Fourty-six. He could take them. But now did not seem like the time to be fighting. Apparently this Queen had taken over twelve years ago, but Zeig couldn't remember any Queen Diana in his memory.

'Alright. I'm leaving now,' Zeig said, slowly backing away out the door. The men followed him out and practically pushed him all the way to the shore.

'Now fly away from here, Dragoon, and don't bother us with your presence again,' said the violent man.

Zeig had no choice but to transform and fly away from the island. He didn't even give it a second glance. But where was Rose? He'd always been with her, and now she was not with him.

_I'll look for her on Rouge when it's dark,_ he decided. Zeig flew for a small cove off of the coast of Rouge and waited in a small cave until dark.


	3. Chapter 2: Home?

Chapter Two: Home?

Rose followed the trail to Donau quickly and with an air of beauty, as she did with everything else. Her steps were graceful, and she walked with her slender black rapier in her hands. The Barrens held many dangers. She passed a grove that she remembered for some reason. She and Dart and the rest of the group had escorted a young man through here…

For his…marriage? To…Kate. Rose was remembering this now. Dart had caught the bouquet and given it to Shana. _Shana,_ Rose remembered. She did not know why this particular name meant something to her, but she was suddenly overwhelmed with an emotion towards the girl that she couldn't quite place. Anger? Jealousy?

The path turned sharply and she was looking up at a bridge above her. However, grass and a few rocks were not the only things occupying this naturally formed bridge, but there were several small looking people with knives drawn. They looked scruffy, and they were all covered in dirt and looked like they hadn't eaten a decent meal in days.

One of them laughed. 'Oh she'll be fun.'

'An' look a' her, a lil sword an' everythin'!'

'Bless 'er,' one said, with a horrible mock baby face.

They all jumped down from the bridge and brandished their knives.

'Drop the sword an' hand over the loot,' one said, waving his knife in front of Rose's face. He looked like the leader.

This seemed strangely familiar to Rose. She looked up at the overhang and saw with a blast of recognition, that it was the exact same overhang that Mappi had jumped from and stolen Dart's Dragoon Spirit.

'I know you people,' Rose said, tightening her grip on her rapier, which was unnoticed by all of the gang members.

'Well of course you do, girly! We're-'

'The Gehrich Gang, I know,' Rose said.

'Gehrich Gang? Who the hell are they?'

'I don't have time to play with you, so if you'll excuse me.'

Rose made to push past them and one of them jumped at her, knife raised. Rose grabbed his wrist as it was coming down, and threw him into the third gang member. The second charged at her, and Rose side-stepped him, and slashed him across the stomach. The first and third were getting up now, and Rose stabbed one of them in the stomach. The last one got up, ran up the overhang, and threw his knife at her. It fell about five feet short, and landed uselessly hilt down in the sand. Rose transformed into a Dragoon (the gangster's eyes widened) flew up to the overhang, and punched him in the face.

He fell off the overhang and landed on his back in the sand. Rose landed softly in front of him and began walking towards him as he slowly backed away.

'Pardon, miss, we didn't knows you was with the Queen.'

'Queen?' Rose said sharply.

'Queen Diana,' the gangster replied. 'Didn't know you was one of them Dragoons. Else we woulda left you well enough alone.'

'Dragoons?' Rose said. 'How do you know about them? Their not common knowledge.'

'Everyone knows about 'em. How Queen Diana was one of 'em, and took over everythin', and killed anyone in her way. Folks say that she has Dragoon servants,' he said, casting Rose a fearful look.

'I'm not one of this Queen's servants,' Rose said distastefully. 'Who is this woman?'

'Miss?' the gangster said, obviously confused.

'I said,' Rose hissed, hoisting him up by the shirt with one arm and holding him above her head, 'who is this Queen Diana?'

'S-She's the Queen of Endiness, ma'am.'

'Queen of Endiness? There is no Queen of Endiness.'

'Pardon, miss, but there is. There is, ma'am. You don't know 'er?'

Rose set him down softly and transformed back into a human.

'No, tell me about her.'

The bandit paused, unsure if he should proceed.

'I neva' heard 'bout any Dragoons not under her control,' he said quietly.

'I told you to tell me about her!' Rose said, walking towards him.

'Alrigh', alrigh'!' he said yelled, covering his head with his hands. 'S-She invaded all them main countries years ago. Took 'em all over. Everythin'. I know the Serdians put up one helluva fight, but it didn't work.'

'Serdio? King Albert?'

'Who, ma'am?'

'So what did this Queen do?' Rose asked, ignoring the question.

'Took everythin' over, miss. Serdio an' Tiberoa, an' even Mille Sessau. She's even talked about gettin' Gloriano all civilized. Everyone's under 'er control. She's got ships, and mermaids, and all the armies of Serdio an' Tiberoa an' Mille Sessau. She's got the Dragoons, some of them, anyway, only two, includin' 'er. She's got Winglies-'

'Winglies?'

'Yeah,' he said, shifting uncomfortably. 'Magical things, y'know. Got wings-'

'I know. When did she take over?'

The bandit's face constricted in thought as he tried to remember.

'Had to be 'bout twelve years ago, miss.'

'I don't remember any 'Queen of Endiness.'

'Well you wouldn't miss, you look mighty young, and perdy too-'

Rose lifted him up again and he screamed and cowered. Rose threw him onto the ground.

'Y'know if you wan' information, you shouldn't beat your informers, miss.'

'It's worked in the past,' Rose replied. The bandit obviously heard the contempt and hostility in her voice, for he began talking very quickly.

'Look, I work for the Queen - everyone does! An' she says any Dragoons should be under 'er control. So if-'

'What year is it?'

'Ma'am?'

Rose made an impatient sound and knocked him unconscious. She deposited him outside a cave, maybe he'd be killed by the creatures. _You should kill him, _she told herself. _He could reveal you to this Queen Diana, and right now that doesn't sound like a good idea. _But she didn't. In her time with the group, she seemed to have gained a conscience and a little compassion.

_Great, _she thought. _Next thing I'll be caring about someone._

Rose continued the long trek to Donau and after a few hours found herself walking into the city. She'd forgotten just how beautiful it was. Donau, the Flower City. Flowers of all sorts of different colors littered the ground, and there were many colorful gardens scattered throughout the small city. But the people did not match the mood the city seemed to give off. Many of them were stony faced, and the streets were very quiet, some even silent. Guards in black armor guarded over the streets and main buildings, and many of them patrolled the streets, harassing and abusing villagers. Rose could see Dart intervening and setting the villagers free very easily. He was very noble.

Rose walked through the almost silent streets briskly. The guards didn't bother her; even they could sense that she would be a difficult woman to bully. She had that hard look of determination, and that aura of experience and strength. She headed into the local church to find a sermon to Soa, the Creator going on. Soa, according to a legend Rose had discovered to be accurate, planted a seed on the earth when it was nothing. Just sand and rock. This seed grew to be a great tree. And from this tree, grew 108 fruits, which fell from the tree, to fill the world with life.

'We pray to Soa, to grant us another tree to fill the world with more life. With new species.'

A another tree? So the first one had been destroyed?

Of course it had. By her and Zeig in the explosion. When the Moon That Never Sets was destroyed, so was the tree.

The sermon ended, and Rose walked up to the Minister. Although she was not overly religious, her experiences had proven that this particular religion was correct. Soa did exist, and so did the Divine Tree.

'Minister, do you know about the Dragon Campaign?'

'Certainly,' he said, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. 'Dragoons, however hated they are today, fought for peace and justice, and liberated us from the oppressive rule of the Winglies. Ironic that they no serve us.'

'Do you know exactly when that happened?'

'Over 10,000 years ago,' he said, raising an eyebrow. 'Why?'

'But you don't know the exact date?'

He grumbled and said 'Around 11,634 years ago. I could be wrong.'

'You are,' Rose said, more to herself then the Minister. He seemed highly affronted that she had said it, and made to get away, but a sudden thought struck Rose.

'Minister!' she called after him. 'Minister, do you know when the Divine Tree was destroyed?'

'Exactly one hundred years ago. But it's common knowledge to almost everyone,' and he scrambled through a side door.

One hundred years. Dart, Albert, Haschel, Kongol, Miranda, Shana, Meru, all dead. One hundred whole years she had been sent back. Everyone she knew - dead.

'Thank you Minister, you've been very helpful.'

She left. She walked through the alleys and walkways until she found herself in the very same street that they had all first met Meru. Rose recognized the stairs up to what had used to be the Mayor's home. Rose could clearly see Meru desperately trying to join their group and save Lynn. Rose saw her twirl and dance, and remembered her hitting guards over the head with a hammer.

Wait…Meru. Meru was a _Wingly. _Winglies are immortal, and live forever! Meru was still alive, whether the others had passed or not. Rose felt sorry for Meru. It must have been hard watching the others wither away and die while she remained as young and peppy as she always had been.

But where would she be? The Forest of Winglies?

Well it was as good a place to start as any. But what about Zeig? They were still separated, and Rose had no idea where he would be. Her main focus right now was to find Meru who could tell her all about this Queen Diana and the past hundred years. Rose ran out of the city and transformed into a Dragoon on the coastline. She would head for Mille Sessau, and get to the Forest of Winglies. Meru was her main priority right now. Information is the key.

Rose jumped up and flew towards Mille Sessau.


	4. Chapter 3: Escape

This Chapter is a bit longer then the rest, and your lucky that it is. I had to re-do this entire thing and shorten it. All the stuff that happened here expanded over 24 pages for one Chapter, so I thought 'No' and re-did the whole damn thing. Honestly, the things I do for you kids...

-Mr.SturgisPodmore

Chapter Three: Escape.

Zeig was surveying Rouge from his cave off the shore. It was getting dark now, and fires were

being lit throughout the town. People were slowly getting less and less, as they went to bed. After

watching for twenty minutes, Zeig jumped up, and dived into the water. It would have been much easier to

fly there, but he'd be seen for sure. Much less likely that he'd been seen swimming.

The water was warm, but swimming tired Zeig greatly. He was, after all, wearing full body armor, and it was heavy. But he was a strong, conditioned fighter, and he made it to the shore. He quietly crept up to the town and climbed up to the second level. There was a kind of dock below him with small row boats and the was a harbor master snoring loudly in a chair beside one.

Zeig climbed up a ladder onto the third floor and quietly walking down the bamboo bridges and floors. It was hard to be completely quiet, though. The bamboo often creaked and shifted in the wind.

'Rose?' Zeig whispered every so often. 'Rose?'

'Hey, Dragoon,' came a voice from behind him. Zeig whirled around and saw the man named Zephir. Zeig raised his sword but Zephir held up a hand.

'No, I am here to help you,' he whispered. 'Come.'

He turned around and put a finger to his lips, beckoning Zeig to follow him. Zeig did so, quietly. Zephir led him to a higher level of Rouge and pushed open a door, revealing a bedroom. There was a bamboo bed in one corner, and several plants, and a window cut into the bamboo with no glass.

'We can talk here,' he said.

'I'm looking for someone,' Zeig said as Zephir sat down on the bed.

'I know. She is not here. She never arrived here.'

Zeig frowned. 'But she had to have. We left together, she's here somewhere.'

'She is not on the island,' Zephir said simply.

'Why are you helping me?' Zeig asked, eyes narrowing. 'Dragoons are hated.'

Zephir nodded. 'Yes, they are. And for good reason. Queen Diana and her pet have caused the people of Endiness much strife. You would do well not to reveal yourself to the peoples of Endiness. Do you have transport to the mainland?'

Zeig put his arm to the side, saying that he had himself.

'I see. I have a boat, we could both fit-'

'We? You want to come with me?'

Zephir raised an eyebrow. 'Yes. I do. You saw how the Mayor treats us all. I am an under credited historian, and my skills and knowledge will be better appreciated on the mainland. I am coming with you. Just let me grab some essentials.'

He left the room quietly and scurried off for a few minutes, and returned with a spear, several books and bundles of food.

'What?' he said, as Zeig gave him an inquiring look, pointing to the books stacked in his hands. 'Everyone needs books.'

Zeig resisted the urge to roll his eyes. 'So where's this boat of yours?'

'The dock, obviously.'

'Help me with some of this, will you?' Zephir said irritably.

Zeig followed Zephir down the ladders and to the dock. The harbor master was still asleep, but to be sure, Zeig pinched his neck. Unconsciousness was imminent. Zeig eyed the boat appreciatively. It was large, had an anchor, and looked like something he'd stolen.

'Nice boat,' Zeig said pointing to it.

'What? That's not my boat. _That _is my boat,' Zephir said, pointing to a much smaller one. 'Well come on,' he said impatiently when Zeig stood there staring at it.

'We'll never get across the ocean in that thing. Across a lake, maybe.'

'Well what do you suggest?' Zephir asked him impatiently.

Zeig glanced at the bigger boat. Zephir followed his gaze and grinned.

'That's the mayor's boat,' he said, with his grin still on his face.

'Perfect.'

They climbed in and made ready to sail. The boat was in good shape, it had sails, steering, rigging, an anchor. All the essentials.

'Cast off those lines,' Zeig said, pointing up.

Zephir threw him a look but obliged. They were now ready to make sail. Zeig took the wheel and slowly edged it out of the harbor. About twenty feet from the dock, Zeig hit a rock. It didn't do too much damage to the ship, but it made one hell of a racket.

'Damn it, sorry,' Zeig said.

There were voices coming from Rouge now. One could distinctly be heard over all the others.

'That's my boat! That's my boat! It's that damn Dragoon!'

The villagers were diving into the water, trying to catch up. Some grabbed their own boats and paddled as fast as they could towards them. This boat was sturdy, but not overly fast. Another boat, almost as big as the mayor's set sail after them. It was armed with cannons, and it looked like it had been stolen as well.

'Have they stolen these boats?'

'Gifts,' Zephir said. 'From the Queen. Tolzar received them for remaining neutral. But it doesn't stop her from harassing us.'

'Well it's catching up,' Zeig said, glancing back at the slowly advancing boat. The others had fallen behind. 'Can't this bucket go any faster?'

'No. It's the mayor's boat. It's built for luxury, not speed.'

It seemed that mayor Tolzar was on the boat that was advancing, giving orders and screaming at his villagers.

'Can you take this?' Zeig said, gesturing to the steering wheel.

'I suppose so, why?'

'I've got an idea.'

Zeig transformed into a Dragoon, and over on the other ship he heard screams and gasps. He took off and flew up high over the other ship. He threw a ball of flame down. It missed, as he had intended it to, but it got the message across. Zeig could see some of the men just jumping right off and swimming back for the shore. Others coward behind poles and rigging, and some were trying to shoot him with arrows.

Zeig threw a flame ball at one of the sails, which immediately lit on fire. He swooped down to the deck and beat the villagers back with his scabbard, not wanting to kill any of them. Mayor Tolzar was running at him, sword raised, Zeig sidestepped him and punched him in the face. He crumbled unconscious.

Zeig ran up to the main deck, smashed the man steering the ship with his scabbard, and burned the steering wheel clean off. His goal accomplished, Zeig took off again and headed for his stolen ship.

He landed on the deck where Zephir was expertly steering the ship into a cove where they could hide for a while, and transformed back into a human.

'Can this thing make it all the way to the mainland?' he said, panting slightly.

'It should, as long as it doesn't take too much of a beating.'

'Where's the nearest dock?'

'Fletz, I think. But it's in the castle. It was made for the second generation of Dragoons so they could reach Rouge over a hundred years ago. We won't be able to dock there without written consent of the Queen.'

'What did you just say?' Zeig said in horror.

'We won't be able to land in Fletz without-'

'No, no! The other part, about the Dragoons!' Could it be true? One hundred years ago? Impossible, Zeig reasoned. There was no way he'd gone one hundred years into the future since his death.

'Oh, well one hundred years ago the second generation of Dragoons needed a dock in Fletz to reach Rouge. Ancient documents say something about the Winglies.'

Zeig nodded slowly. 'Aglis. They needed to get to Aglis,' Zeig said hollowly. One hundred years. His son, dead. And his wife too, assuming Dart and Shana had married, of course. Maybe they had grandchildren somewhere? Seles would be a good place to start. He knew that his son had lived there, he and Shana surely would have left for there after the Moon?

'What's wrong?' Zephir asked, concern in his voice. He raised an eyebrow when Zeig grinned broadly.

'Hey Zephir,' Zeig said.

'Mmm?'

'How do you feel about a trip to Seles?'


End file.
